Niger Delta
480 Indigent N’Delta Pupils Get Shell Scholarships
Eight years after the launch of Cradle-To-Career (C2C) scholarship scheme for brilliant indigent pupils in public primary schools in hard-to-reach communities in the Niger Delta, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has now increased the number of beneficiaries of the Special Secondary School Scholarships programme in the three core pilot states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers to 480.
Inducting 60 new beneficiaries into the fully-funded secondary school scholarship scheme at Bloombreed High School at Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, SPDC said the C2C programme was an all-inclusive initiative that provides opportunities and strong foundation for brilliant pupils in public primary schools to attend four top private secondary boarding schools in the country.
Speaking at the induction ceremony last Friday, SPDC General Manager, External Relations, Mr Igo Weli, urged the 60 scholars to remain focused, disciplined and obedient, adding that, “to wear a crown, one must earn it”.
Weli urged the beneficiaries to turn their special privilege into vast opportunities by working hard to excel at all times.
“Always remember you have a duty to yourself to make the best of this rare opportunity. There is a crown for you at the end, but you have to earn it and to earn it, you must be focused, attentive, obedient, diligent and kind to everyone around you to be a better person in learning and character,” Weli counselled.
“This programme presents before you a life-time chance and opportunity to construct the foundation for your future and grow to become a pride to yourself, family, community, state and society at large,” the external relations top chief at Shell Nigeria added.
The general manager, who was represented by the Social Performance Investment Manager, Mrs Gloria Udoh, listed the four reputable secondary schools selected to train the 60 indigent pupils in Port Harcourt as follows: Archdeacon Brown Education Centre, Woji, Bloombreed High School, Elelenwo, Brookestone Secondary School, Rukpokwu; and Jephthah Comprehensive College, East-West Road, adding that the pupils were painstakingly selected through a transparent and rigorous examination process.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Mr. Dagogo Adonye Hart, who was represented by the Deputy Director (Unit Head, Secondary), Mrs Joy Nwamaka Joseph commended SPDC for the good work they have been doing to ensure quality education in the state and country at large.
The permanent secretary appealed to Shell to expand the scope of the scholarship from 20 pupils per state, to 40 pupils, in order for more people to benefit.
He hoped that the beneficiary students Shell has helped with the fully-funded scholarship would do all proud, saying that it was a good thing that the company has lifted the burden of paying the students’ fees and other requirements from their parents.
“It is a good thing to lift a burden from parents; you might not know what you have done now, but these children, I know would project your name. I believe that the children are destined to be winners, and because you have identified them today, we know that these children from Rivers State would not disappoint you. It is one thing to be in Shell, and it is another thing to see the outside community and have interest in them,” Hart noted.
In his goodwill message, Principal, Bloombreed High School, Mr Ahmed Kamal, said the day was very remarkable in the history of the school as it was the first time such a lofty programme was held in the school.
Kamal praised the merit-based selection process in the programme, and urged all to support Shell in efforts to make it successful.
“If we all support Shell by creating the needed enabling environment for their business to thrive, we would have a group of Nigerians that would change their various communities in future. If Shell does this for 10 years, that is 600 pupils, and so, the multiplier effect is very enormous for the communities of the Niger Delta, and indeed, Nigeria,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries from Rivers State, Obomate Oribim told The Tide in an interview that he was happy and grateful to Shell for the golden opportunity to excel in life, and promised to be a good ambassador of his community and the state.
While urging the youth to remain peaceful and create the enabling environment for Shell to do more to positively impacting the lives of the less privileged in the society, Oribim assured that he would take advantage of opportunity to contribute positively to the development of the state.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana & Miriam Obusele
The Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RSBOPP), says efforts are being made to strengthen the existing procurement processes leading to the award of contracts and jobs execution in the state to enhance service delivery.
The Board chairman of the RSBOPP, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in his office in Port Harcourt, after a meeting with staff of the agency, last Friday.
Oko-Jaja who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stated that procurement had become a global issue, stressing that without a proper procurement plan, it would be difficult for any state or nation to move forward in the attainment of its developmental strategies and goals.
The chairman said that the Board had observed some improprieties in the procurement processes and assured that they would take every measure to ensure full compliance with the state procurement laws.
“We will ensure that the laws are followed and we have value for money. We must ensure that money is used for contract execution and not to enrich people’s pockets. We’ll ensure that the money being quoted for any job or contract corresponds with the prevailing market price. We are going to strengthen the monitoring and evaluating team of the Board to perform their duties; going to markets, verify the prices quoted for and also ensure compliance.
“We are going to look into the procurement laws to see how we can close the existing gaps noticed that are not in line with global practices. These measures will also affect local government councils in the state to ensure there is value for money and save money for the state government. And in doing so, the government can spread its services across the state and not in one place.
“His Excellency, the governor of the state has a mantra, “Rivers first”. We are going to ensure we assist him and the state government achieve this policy by ensuring that the procurement laws are complied with and things are done rightly. That is why we are here,” he said.
Oko-Jaja assured that members of the Board would justify the confidence reposed in them by the state governor for the benefit of the state.
Earlier, in an interactive meeting between Board members and staff of the agency, the Board chairman of RSBOPP told the excited workforce that the Board had approved the merger of some departments, namely Legal, Ethics Human Resources and the Facility Management departments to ensure maximum output and efficiency in service delivery.
He said that the Legal and Ethics departments had been merged as one department, adding the Human Resources and Facility Management departments had also been merged.
He told them that going forward every department would also be accountable for its responsibility and announced that the Board had also approved that conditions of service should be put in place for the staff of the agency so that they would grow like their counterparts in the state mainstream civil service.
Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Government says it would continue to address the needs of Civil Servants in the State.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara stated this during the Rivers State Civil Service 2025 New Year Thanksgiving Service, at the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said his Administration is willing and ready to do what will make Civil Servants happy, more hardworking, and more distinguished.
“I want to tell you that you have our ears, and you can tell because when the Head of Service gave his address, there were no demands because while you were yet asking, it was already executed. We want you to know that to whom much is given, much is expected. We do not take your love and support for granted.” Governor Fubara stressed.
The State Chief Executive urged Civil Servants to redouble and rekindle their energy to ensure that the Rivers State Civil Service becomes the envy of Civil Service in Nigeria, noting that the State Government is pleased to work as a family with Civil Servants.
He implored them to continue to uphold his Administration in prayers, which according to him has kept him thus far, adding that prayers would lead them for years to come while asking them to be proud of whom they are as Civil Servants.
In his address, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nweke, expressed gratitude to Governor Fubara for the implementation of the enhanced minimum wage, payment of Christmas bonus, improved retirement benefits, and creation of employment opportunities amongst others, as well as issuance of SME loans facility to deserving Civil Servants in the State.
Dr Nweke who said the theme of this year’s thanksgiving “Peace Be Still” reminds us that even amid turmoil and uncertainties you can find peace and calm in God’s presence while urging them to pray for continuous peace and development in the State.
In his sermon, the Dean Church of God, Anglican Communion, the Most. Rev. Blessing Enyindah who spoke on the theme “Peace Be Still” drawn from Mark 4:35-41, said storms of life may manifest in different ways and forms, causing us anxiety and sleepless nights but with Jesus Christ by our side, there is hope.
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